Bush Pledges Another US$600 Million In Tsunami Aid

Straits Times ^ | February 10, 2005

[srm913]

Bush pledges another US$600m in tsunami aid

PRESIDENT George W. Bush has pledged a massive US$600 million (S$991 million) boost in United States financial aid to countries affected by December's tsunami.

This would take the total of Washington's relief package from US$350 million to US$950 million and make it the largest single donor nation.

The increased funds will be earmarked principally for reconstruction efforts in the worst affected countries, among them Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

President Bush, who made the announcement on Wednesday, said: 'We will use these resources to provide assistance and to work with the affected nations on rebuilding vital infrastructure.'

The boost in relief aid was described by Mr Andrew Natsios, the administrator of the US Agency for International Development, as the most generous and the most extensive in American history.

Mr Bush was chastised in December for his initial offer of only US$15 million in tsunami relief.

The sum was subsequently incrementally increased to US$35 million and then to US$350 million when the full magnitude of the catastrophe became apparent.

The latest pledge will catapult the US to the top of the list of donors, ahead of Australia with its US$810 million and Germany with US$660 million.

[beltfed308]

You are dead on! It is as if we are "shamed" by not contributing more. As other posters have pointed out about the private charity efforts this is about dispersment now and not throwing more cash in.

[digger48]

Deduct this amount from our UN dues.

[srm913]

You're onto something.

[teenyelliott]

You know what, if our government gets any bigger I think my head is going to explode. My god, the amount of money they suck out of Americans to spend willy nilly all around the world just makes my stomach turn. Do you know that the US gave $21,230,800,000.00 to other countries in 2002 (the most recent year I could find data, per the Greenbook report)? I just don't know what we can do to get our country back, short of a revolution.

[RAY]

What has our military aid cost - had heard the number of $6,000,000 per day - about two months worth! This should be added to these cash numbers.

We are all for helping, but apparently much of the aid is not getting to the people. The UN apparently doing its normal job of "coordination"!

[Calvin Locke]

I hate to seem unsympathetic...

Compassion fatigue and wallet rot will do that to you.

Then there are the compassion grifters.

[dandiegirl]

I like Bush, but some things I've been hearing lately are bothering me. I heard that he wants illegals to receive Social Security and this extra money going for more relief is simply stupid.

[dakine]

My first thought...

[Piquaboy]

Will the appreciate more help like they did before and tell us to get our military out by the end of March?

[k2blader]

The President is quite generous with the taxpayers' money.

[montag813]

This is despicable. $600 million to rebuild resorts, casinos, pedophile brothels, mosques and madrassas. You tax dollars at work.

[WhiteGuy]

"If I want to pledge it, I'll do it myself."

Exactly.

[JewishRighter]

Hey W: We love you out here but how 'bout puttin' that money in the Social Security lock box?

[Hank Rearden]

do we have to foot the bill for the entire friggin' world all the time?

No, we don't.

But Bush thinks we do, because he's going for The Legacy Thing.

And it's not his money he's pissing away, so what the hell does he care? He's a Big Government politician to begin with; this is as natural as breathing for someone who doesn't care about any limits on Big Stupid Government.

[cajun-jack]

I am a republican, but Bush is a drunken sailor on shore leave when it come to spending money.

damn!! 350 mil for some mud huts?? damn!! give the hidldabeast $750.00 and she will build you a sand castle...$1250.00...she will get nekkid and show pic of bill nekked!!!!!! course they won't be together, but that is beside the point.

[Final Authority]

With all of the "skim" the recipient nations politicians will be putting upward cost pressure on vacation property on the Hawaiian islands. The poor will never see the money, it will be stolen.

[sarah_f]

Well, as long as we don't spend it on protecting our borders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[teenyelliott]

Man, it's not just Bush. All of them do it. The quantity of money that goes out our doors for God knows what is astonishing. Some Senator from S.C. was lamenting about how we don't have the money to fix social security or our insane tax code, so we should raise taxes. Please!!! Why don't we take some of the money we use to help Mexico, Africa, Egypt, Yemen, Russia, etc., etc. and use it to help ourselves? How about fixing all the broken crap in this country, namely our borders and tax code? I thought I heard a report some weeks ago that said no more donations please, the tsunami area had more than enough money. But the U.N., and the esteemed William Clinton, are in charge now! Surely they will do great things with the money. O...M...G...

[alicewonders]

Over 21 BILLION dollars given in 2002 to foreign countries? If the government has that kind of money to throw around - we're paying too much in taxes! Come on George, give us a break!

DAMN!